Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
Encyclopedia
Neelam Sanjiva Reddy (19 May 1913 - 1 June 1996) was the sixth President of India
, serving from 1977 to 1982 and was the only person to be elected President of India
unopposed.
Reddy was born in Illur village of district Anantapur
in the State of Andhra Pradesh
. He had his primary education at the High School run by Theosophical Society Adyar
, Madras. The spiritual atmosphere of the school left a deep impact on his mind. He joined the Government Arts College at Anantapur for his higher studies.
Mahatma Gandhi
's visit to Anantapur in July 1929 was the turning point in Reddy's life. He came under the profound influence of Gandhiji's thoughts, words and actions. He discarded his foreign clothes and took to Khadi
as his dress. He gave up his studies and joined the Indian Independence Movement
. In 1931 he left his studies to join Congress Party.
He was elected to the Madras Legislative Assembly in 1946 and became the Secretary of the Madras Congress Legislature Party. In 1947, he became a Member of the Indian Constituent Assembly. He was Minister for Prohibition, Housing and Forests in the composite state of Madras from 1949 to 1951. He was Elected as President of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee in 1951. In 1952, he was elected as a Member of the Rajya Sabha
.
He served as the first chief minister
of Andhra Pradesh
in October 1956 and again from 1962 to 1964. He also served as President of the Indian National Congress
from 1959 to 1962.
The degree of Honorary Doctor of Laws was conferred on him by the Sri Venkateswara University
, Tirupathi in 1958.
On 9 June 1964, He was appointed a Member of the Union Cabinet and took over the portfolio of Steel and Mines. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha
in November, 1964.
He was Union Minister of Transport, Civil Aviation, Shipping and Tourism from January 1966 to March 1967 in the Cabinet. He was Elected to the Lok Sabha
from Hindupur
constituency in Andhra Pradesh
. He was elected Speaker of Lok Sabha
on 17 March 1967, where he won unprecedented acclaim and admiration.
In 1969, following the death of Dr. Zakir Hussain
, then President of India, Sanjiva Reddy was nominated as the official candidate of Congress party. Even before the election he resigned from his Lok Sabha speakership in order not to take advantage of a position while contesting for another as a party candidate. However Indira Gandhi, knowing that Sanjiva Reddy was too independent a person to toe her line, took the stance of allowing the party electors to vote according to their conscience, rather than asking to vote for the party candidate. This actually implied her support to V.V.Giri and Sanjiva Reddy lost the election. He retired from active politics, returned to his native village Illuru to take up what was always close to his heart, and his fore-fathers occupation of farming.
He entered active politics again in 1975 along with Shri Jayaprakash Narayan
. In March 1977, he fought the Lok Sabha
election from Nandyal
constituency in Andhra Pradesh as a Janata Party
candidate. He was the only non-Congress candidate to get elected from Andhra Pradesh. He was unanimously elected Speaker of the Lok Sabha
on 26 March 1977.
He was regarded as the best speaker ever in the Lok Sabha
of Indian parliament. ((fact)) He also said that he would not remain as the "rubber stamp president" and proved himself to be most dynamic president of India
.
He was elected President by the electoral college in July 1977.He was the youngest President and also the only unanimous President of India
up to now.
He died in Bangalore
, India in 1996.
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President of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
, serving from 1977 to 1982 and was the only person to be elected President of India
President of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
unopposed.
Reddy was born in Illur village of district Anantapur
Anantapur district
Anantapur District , ) is one of the 23 districts in Andhra Pradesh, India. The district headquarters is Anantapur City. It is currently a part of the Red Corridor.- Geography :...
in the State of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
. He had his primary education at the High School run by Theosophical Society Adyar
Theosophical Society Adyar
The Theosophy Society - Adyar is the name of a section of the Theosophical Society founded by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and others in 1875. Its headquarters moved with Blavatsky and president Henry Steel Olcott to Adyar, an area of Chennai in 1883...
, Madras. The spiritual atmosphere of the school left a deep impact on his mind. He joined the Government Arts College at Anantapur for his higher studies.
Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
's visit to Anantapur in July 1929 was the turning point in Reddy's life. He came under the profound influence of Gandhiji's thoughts, words and actions. He discarded his foreign clothes and took to Khadi
Khadi
The term khādī or khaddar means cotton. khādī is Indian handspun and hand-woven cloth. The raw materials may be cotton, silk, or wool, which are spun into threads on a spinning wheel called a charkha. It is a versatile fabric, cool in the summer and warm in the winter...
as his dress. He gave up his studies and joined the Indian Independence Movement
Indian independence movement
The term Indian independence movement encompasses a wide area of political organisations, philosophies, and movements which had the common aim of ending first British East India Company rule, and then British imperial authority, in parts of South Asia...
. In 1931 he left his studies to join Congress Party.
He was elected to the Madras Legislative Assembly in 1946 and became the Secretary of the Madras Congress Legislature Party. In 1947, he became a Member of the Indian Constituent Assembly. He was Minister for Prohibition, Housing and Forests in the composite state of Madras from 1949 to 1951. He was Elected as President of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee in 1951. In 1952, he was elected as a Member of the Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
.
He served as the first chief minister
Chief Minister
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government...
of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
in October 1956 and again from 1962 to 1964. He also served as President of the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
from 1959 to 1962.
The degree of Honorary Doctor of Laws was conferred on him by the Sri Venkateswara University
Sri Venkateswara University
Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, is a state university, which was established in 1954, in the famous temple city of Tirupati, South India, under the auspices of Late Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu, the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, and with support of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams...
, Tirupathi in 1958.
On 9 June 1964, He was appointed a Member of the Union Cabinet and took over the portfolio of Steel and Mines. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
in November, 1964.
He was Union Minister of Transport, Civil Aviation, Shipping and Tourism from January 1966 to March 1967 in the Cabinet. He was Elected to the Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
from Hindupur
Hindupur (Lok Sabha constituency)
Hindupur Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in Andhra Pradesh state in southern India.-Assembly segments:Hindupur constituency presently comprises the following Legislative Assembly segments:...
constituency in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
. He was elected Speaker of Lok Sabha
Speaker of Lok Sabha
The Speaker is the presiding officer of the lower house of Parliament of India. His/her role is similar to that of Speakers elsewhere in other countries that use the Westminster system of government....
on 17 March 1967, where he won unprecedented acclaim and admiration.
In 1969, following the death of Dr. Zakir Hussain
Zakir Hussain (politician)
Dr. Zakir Hussain , was the third President of India from 13 May 1967 until his death on 3 May 1969. He was the first elected Muslim president of India....
, then President of India, Sanjiva Reddy was nominated as the official candidate of Congress party. Even before the election he resigned from his Lok Sabha speakership in order not to take advantage of a position while contesting for another as a party candidate. However Indira Gandhi, knowing that Sanjiva Reddy was too independent a person to toe her line, took the stance of allowing the party electors to vote according to their conscience, rather than asking to vote for the party candidate. This actually implied her support to V.V.Giri and Sanjiva Reddy lost the election. He retired from active politics, returned to his native village Illuru to take up what was always close to his heart, and his fore-fathers occupation of farming.
He entered active politics again in 1975 along with Shri Jayaprakash Narayan
Jayaprakash Narayan
Jayaprakash Narayan , widely known as JP Narayan, Jayaprakash, or Loknayak, was an Indian independence activist and political leader, remembered especially for leading the opposition to Indira Gandhi in the 1970s and for giving a call for peaceful Total Revolution...
. In March 1977, he fought the Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
election from Nandyal
Nandyal (Lok Sabha constituency)
Nandyal Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in Andhra Pradesh state in southern India.-Assembly segments:...
constituency in Andhra Pradesh as a Janata Party
Janata Party
The Janata Party was an amalgam of Indian political parties opposed to the state of emergency imposed by the government of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her Indian National Congress...
candidate. He was the only non-Congress candidate to get elected from Andhra Pradesh. He was unanimously elected Speaker of the Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
on 26 March 1977.
He was regarded as the best speaker ever in the Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
of Indian parliament. ((fact)) He also said that he would not remain as the "rubber stamp president" and proved himself to be most dynamic president of India
President of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
.
He was elected President by the electoral college in July 1977.He was the youngest President and also the only unanimous President of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
up to now.
He died in Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, India in 1996.
External links
- Bio details on Congress Sandesh website accessed at http://www.congresssandesh.com/AICC/pastpresidents.htm 26 July 2006
- Biographical details of Past Presidents of India at http://pastpresidentsofindia.indiapress.org/]
- Biographical details of Speakers of Lok Sabha at http://speakerloksabha.nic.in/former/Nsanjivareddy.asp
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